risks, such as epidemics or pandemics, may, from time to time, and for varying periods of time, cause the Fund to experience volatility, illiquidity, shareholder redemptions or other potentially adverse effects.
■ Interest Rate Risk. Prices of fixed-income securities (including tax-exempt securities) generally fall when interest rates rise. Recent and potential future changes in monetary policy made by central banks and/or their governments are likely to affect the level of interest rates. Very low or negative interest rates magnify interest rate risk. During periods when interest rates are low or there are negative interest rates, the Fund's yield (and total return) also is likely to be lower or the Fund may be unable to maintain a positive return, or yield, or a stable NAV.
■ Call Risk. The Fund's performance may be adversely affected by the possibility that an issuer of a security held by the Fund may redeem the security prior to maturity at a price below or above its current market value.
■ Sector Risk. A substantial part of the Fund's portfolio may be comprised of securities issued or credit enhanced by businesses with similar characteristics or by issuers located in the same state. As a result, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or other developments which generally affect these issuers or entities.
■ Tax Risk. In order to be tax exempt, tax-exempt securities must meet certain legal requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable. Income from the Fund also may be subject to the AMT.
■ Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that the Fund will experience significant net redemptions of Fund Shares at a time when it cannot find willing buyers for its portfolio securities or can only sell its portfolio securities at a material loss.
■ Credit Enhancement Risk. The securities in which the Fund invests may be subject to credit enhancement (for example, guarantees, letters of credit or bond insurance). If the credit quality of the credit enhancement provider (for example, a bank or bond insurer) is downgraded, a security credit enhanced by such credit enhancement provider also may be downgraded. Having multiple securities credit enhanced by the same enhancement provider will increase the adverse effects on the Fund that are likely to result from a downgrading of, or a default by, such an enhancement provider. Adverse developments in the banking or bond insurance industries also may negatively affect the Fund, as the Fund may invest in securities credit enhanced by banks or by bond insurers without limit.
■ Risk Associated with Investing Share Purchase Proceeds. On days during which there are net purchases of Fund Shares, the Fund must invest the proceeds at prevailing market yields or hold cash. If the yield of the securities purchased is less than that of the securities already in the Fund's portfolio, or if the Fund holds cash, the Fund's yield will likely decrease. Conversely, net purchases on days on which short-term yields rise will likely cause the Fund's yield to increase. In the event of significant changes in